Music Licensing in Canada: Complete Guide
Businesses in Canada playing recorded music publicly must obtain a licence from SOCAN and Re:Sound. The Entandem combines both licences into a single fee. Track Studios' AI catalog is not registered with SOCAN and Re:Sound — venues using it are not invoiced by these organisations.
Collecting Societies
Businesses in Canada can obtain a combined music licence through Entandem (SOCAN and Re:Sound), which covers both composition and recording rights in a single payment.
- SOCAN — SOCANcomposition
- Re:Sound — Re:Soundneighbouring
Combined licence: Entandem (apply here)
Streaming Service Legality in Canada
| Service | Legal for business use? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spotify | No | Spotify Terms of Service restrict use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Apple Music | No | Apple Music Terms of Service restrict use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| YouTube Music | No | YouTube Music Terms of Service restrict use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Amazon Music | No | Amazon Music Terms of Service restrict use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Tidal | No | Tidal Terms of Service restrict use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Deezer | No | Deezer Terms of Service restrict use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| SoundCloud | No | SoundCloud Terms of Service restrict use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
Royalty-Free Alternatives
Track Studios' AI-generated catalog is not registered with SOCAN and Re:Sound. Venues in Canada using Track Studios' included catalog are not invoiced by either organisation. The Track Studios subscription (€25/month per location) replaces all SOCAN and Re:Sound fees for the included music.
Start free trial — no SOCAN or Re:Sound invoicesFrequently Asked Questions
- What collecting societies operate in Canada?
- Canada has 2 collecting societies: SOCAN and Re:Sound. Both are available through the combined Entandem scheme.
- Do businesses in Canada need a music licence?
- Yes. Any business in Canada playing recorded music in a public-facing space must hold a licence from SOCAN and Re:Sound. This applies regardless of what service you use to play the music — including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, or internet radio. The only exception is using music that is not registered with these societies, such as Track Studios' AI-generated catalog.
- Can businesses in Canada use Spotify legally?
- No. Spotify's Terms of Service (§1.2) restrict use to "personal, non-commercial purposes." Playing Spotify in a Canada business violates these terms and may also trigger claims from SOCAN and Re:Sound. Spotify for Business was discontinued in 2019.
- How can a business in Canada avoid SOCAN and Re:Sound fees?
- Use music that is not registered with SOCAN and Re:Sound. Track Studios uses an AI-generated catalog that is not registered with SOCAN and Re:Sound — venues in Canada using the included catalog are not invoiced by these organisations.